Coconut oil seems to be the “it” health solution these days for all sorts of ailments. If you were to believe everything you read on the web about coconut oil, you would think it prevents sickness, promotes weight loss, enhances oral health and improves the look and quality of hair and skin. There are seemingly countless other claims about this lovely-smelling oil. Let’s separate fact from fiction to determine if coconut oil should be a part of your daily routine.
Coconut Oil: To Use or Not to Use, That is the Question
Most of those who have studied this oil agree it has properties that seem promising. One such study conducted a couple years ago on mouse cells and subsequently detailed in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease shows coconut oil treatment helps guard cortical neurons.
Another study shows coconut oil can promote weight loss. This study involved women who had abdominal obesity and supplemented their food intake with coconut oil. These women lost more weight than study participants who were provided with a placebo.
What, Exactly, is Coconut Oil?
It appears as though there might be some health benefits that stem from regular consumption of coconut oil. Natural coconut oil is about 90 percent saturated fat. Half of the saturated fat in coconut oil is lauric acid. This is a medium-chain triglyceride with all sorts of properties that promote improved health.
It enhances the body’s ability to increase the HDL cholesterol commonly dubbed the “good” version of cholesterol. Coconut oil facilitates the digestion of medium-chain triglycerides as well as their conversion into energy. This is precisely why so many athletes swear by coconut oil.
Coconut Oil and Heart Health
The fact that coconut oil is high in saturated fat is worrisome to some. The regular consumption of coconut oil, no matter how pure, has the potential to prove problematic for heart health across posterity. At the moment, most studies examining the impact of coconut oil on cholesterol levels have been quite limited. The bottom line is no one is exactly sure if coconut’s oil high level of saturated fat spikes the chances for heart disease.
Plenty of doctors questions whether coconut oil is as healthy as other vegetable oils like soybean oil or olive oil. Such vegetable oils are primarily comprised of unsaturated fats that help reduce LDL and boost HDL. This does not mean you should be scared away from coconut oil simply because it has saturated fat. According to the American Heart Association’s (AHA) guidelines, it is acceptable to consume some saturated fat. It is still possible to decrease your chances for heart disease even when consuming limited amounts of saturated fat.
In general, the AHA recommends men consume upwards of 30 grams of saturated fat each day. Women are encouraged to consume upwards of 20 grams of saturated fat per day. These level equate to a tablespoon and a third of coconut oil for women and two tablespoons for men. The average person will not reach this saturated fat limit in a given day unless consuming a ketogenic or Paleo diet loaded with fat.
Give Coconut Oil a Chance
At the moment, the majority of the short-term analyses of this oil focus on cholesterol level. It appears as though this oil enhances the “good” cholesterol yet there is some question as to how it affects heart health. It is clear coconut oil has some potentially positive and negative ramifications on physical health. Coconut is a lovely flavor that can be added to just about any beverage or meal to enhance taste. In fact, it might not be long until coconut oil is commonly used as a substitute for butter and/or vegetable shortening.
Incorporate coconut oil into your morning health shakes, substitute vegetable oil for it, add it to your water bottles and enjoy the cholesterol lowering effects and good taste.
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